How to Use the Teaching Clock
Explore mode is for showing: drag either hand (the hands move together realistically — watch the red hour hand creep as the minutes pass) and the time appears in digits and in words underneath, exactly the phrasing children learn: "half past three", "quarter to nine", "twenty-five past one". Quiz mode is for practicing: the clock shows a random time and offers four answers; difficulty runs from o'clock and half past up to one-minute precision, following the order schools teach.
Tips for Teaching Time
- Start with the hour hand alone — cover the minute hand and ask "about what time is it?"
- O'clock and half past first, then quarters, then five-minute counts — matching the quiz levels
- Count by fives around the face to bridge from the 1-12 numbers to minutes
- Use both phrasings — "3:45" and "quarter to four" — the words display always shows them together
- On an interactive whiteboard, let pupils take turns dragging the hands to a time you call out
Random Clock Generator
Need a random clock generator for worksheets, flashcards, or a warm-up? Tap Random time and the clock jumps to a new random time you can read together. Switch to Quiz mode and it becomes an endless random time generator — a fresh random clock face every question, with four answers to choose from. It's a quick way to generate random times to tell without printing anything.
FAQ
Why do both hands move when I drag one?
That's deliberate — on a real clock the hour hand moves continuously, and seeing it sit between numbers at half past is exactly what children find hardest. Dragging the minute hand around a full circle advances the hour, just like the real thing.
Does it work on an interactive whiteboard?
Yes — the hands respond to touch and pen as well as a mouse, and the layout scales to fill big screens.
Is it free?
Completely free, no signup. Pair it with the classroom timer or the times tables for a full math corner.
